Making Mead with Bill Hingst

Our guest speaker for the April meeting was Bill Hingst. Bill is a local mead maker who has spent many years working to restore the bee populations.

Bill announced that we were entering into swarm season for honeybees. He recommended keeping a cardboard box handy with a 2x2 inch hole in the lid along with a scoop, clippers, and a few bags. According to Maryland law beekeepers are allowed to retrieve a swarm onto other's property if banging a wooden spoon on a metal pot announcing that you are a beekeeper. (Better keep the spoon and pot handy too!).

Bill walked us through the process of how to make mead and a copy of his handout is available under our Handouts section. Bill explained that there are different varieties and flavors of mead, which depend on the type of honey, yeast, and time allowed for the mead to ferment. Through this process, mead usually takes three years in order for the flavor to develop.

Thanks so much to Bill Hingst for teaching us about mead and letting try some award winning mead!